NIT Tournament 2015: Questions to Be Answered as Bracket Moves into 2nd Round

While most of the country focuses on the annual busting of their brackets, there is another less followed but equally entertaining tournament going on simultaneously with March Madness.

The National Invitation Tournament doesn’t receive nearly as much press as the NCAA tournament, but with a number of bubble teams out to prove something and an extra bit of passion stemming from squads getting the chance to play on their home floor, things could get more interesting.

As proceedings move into the second round, with some of the top teams already falling by the wayside, here are a few questions that need to be answered during the NIT's weekend games.

Will Another Top Seed Stumble?

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As the last four teams eliminated from the NCAA tournament field by the selection committee last Sunday, the four No. 1 seeds in the NIT are considered the favorites to take home college basketball’s second-most prestigious title.

But while three of the top seeds did their jobs, Colorado State was not so lucky in its opening-round matchup, falling 86-76 to South Dakota State.

Despite the home-court advantage, the Rams were unable to slow down the Jackrabbits, who hit 12 three-pointers in the game.

With one of the No. 1 seeds already eliminated in the opening round, the focus now moves to the other three to see if they can avoid a similar fate.

Although Richmond and Old Dominion both looked convincing in their opening games, the other No. 1 seed, Temple, did struggle against Bucknell despite a 30-point night from Will Cummings.

The Owls' opponent in the second round is George Washington, which is coming off an upset win against Pittsburgh on the road in the first round.

If the Colonials can play their best game and keep Cummings in check, the Owls could become the second No. 1 seed to fall in the NIT.

Can Miami Contend for the Title?

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All season long, Miami was impossible to figure out as a basketball team. A No. 2 seed last year, the Hurricanes came into the year with lowered expectations but still managed to put together a decent year.

A run of eight straight wins to start the year, including victories against Florida and Illinois, had the team flying high early. But then a stretch of three losses in four games, including a drubbing at the hands of Eastern Kentucky, brought the Hurricanes back down to earth.

Conference play was similar for the Canes, with a double-overtime loss to Virginia and a 16-point road destruction of Duke followed later by a 20-point home loss to Georgia Tech.

It was the lack of consistency that kept a deserving Miami team out of the NCAA tournament and off the line for a No. 1 seed in the NIT.

When the Canes are playing their best, they are unbeatable and should absolutely waltz through the field to claim the championship. However, a close call against North Carolina Central in the first round has allowed some of the doubts to creep back in, and Miami could slip up in the next round against Alabama.

How Does Murray State Respond to Missing the NCAA Tournament?

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The automatic bids given to the conference tournament winners can be a bit of a double-edged sword. While it allows for underdog teams to sneak into the field of 68, it also provides a perfect stage for heartbreak for teams who had great seasons but couldn’t finish.

Murray State falls into the latter category, winning 28 games this season and going undefeated in its conference before suffering a tough, one-point defeat at the hands of Belmont in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship Game.

Without the automatic bid, the Racers' resume wasn’t strong enough to make the NCAA tournament, so they were forced to settle for the NIT.

While some teams go into the NIT with passion, hoping to bring home a title of some sort, there are others—like Kentucky in 2013—who get bounced early because they were focused on what could have been.

Murray State is a prime candidate for a letdown, with March Madness being the ultimate goal that was snatched away at the last minute.

A 15-point win against UTEP in the first round showed what the Racers are capable of, but if the focus isn’t there, it could be a disappointing weekend for the OVC regular-season champs.